Back to search results »

Back to search page »

Former Australian Felix Hotel

Other Names Morell's Hotel ,  National Australia Bank ,  Richardson's Hotel Location 168-174 Bourke Street,, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 - Property No B6214 File Number B6214 Level Regional

[1/1] B6214 Fmr Australian Felix

Statement of Significance

This corner-sited, two-storey former hotel building in the Italian Renaissance manner was rebuilt in 1860 on the site of an earlier 1846 hotel structure. Last known as Richardson's Hotel, it was licenced to Robert Sawyers in 1847 as the Australian Felix Hotel. This building is of national cultural significance as the headquarters of the Richardson Hotel chain from the turn of the century until 1944. The chain's founder, James Richardson (1865-1951), who also lived in the hotel's upper floor, was acknowledged as Australia's largest hotel magnate at the time of his death and with a fortune of two million pounds was also one of Australia's wealthiest businessmen. Prior to Richardson the hotel was also associated with the Morell family; a son, Sir Stephen Morell, was Lord Mayor of Melbourne in 1926.
This building is of architectural significance as one of Melbourne's, and probably Victoria's, few remaining Italian Renaissance styled hotels. Historically, the early dating of the Australia Felix/Richardson's Hotel's construction and rebuilding makes it a valuable addition within the small group of immediate post-gold era hotels remaining within Melbourne and a contributor to the adjacent Little Bourke Street Historic precinct.
Classified: 20/03/1991